Clarets boss Dyche not losing sleep over promotion chase

Chris Boden

Burnley fans may have their fingers and toes crossed as their team goes into the final three games of what they hope will be a promotion campaign.

But boss Sean Dyche isn't losing any sleep ahead of tonight's game at Preston as he looks to take another step towards securing a return to the Premier League at the first attempt.

While in the middle of some heart-stopping drama - an injury time equaliser against Middlesbrough being the latest instalment - Dyche remains focused only on what he and his players can control.

His players' exertions are constantly monitored, but does Dyche check his own heart rate during games? "I don’t, but I know managers have.

"When I was at Northampton, I think Colin Calderwood did, or he might have previously. When I was there he was so calm obviously because he had me playing!

"Control the controllables. That’s all I can do. You can’t control other people’s lives. You can only cut your own grass.

"I mean it sincerely. You can’t guarantee what’s going to happen away from you. If things fall for us, great, if they don’t, they don’t.

"Lady luck, the twists and turns, the main thing is concentrate on the facts of what you do, not rely on those all other things. If they come your way brilliant, if they don’t, cest la vie.

"That’s my way of compartmentalising it and making sure my heart is steady, because that’s my job."

Players often speak of being unable to get to sleep after games due to the adrenaline, but Dyche returns to his Northamptonshire home after midweek matches, and the drive home helps: "It’s lucky for me. It’s two and a half hours for me to get back.

"The adrenaline is running,and by the time you get home you’re generally tired because you’ve made sense of the game and you’ve been driving.

"You’re about right then. Sleeping has never been a problem for me.

"The thing that people forget is I’ve been in this all my life.

"All those feelings I’ve had, on the pitch, as a coach, an assistant and now as a manager.

"I’ve had good times, not so good times, really tough times, really happy times, you compute them all and balance them all in different ways, but the one thing you know is what will be will be, because you can only force it so many ways your way."

Preston recorded on of only five defeats Burnley have suffered in the league this season, and Dyche expects another tough test at Deepdale tonight: "They’ve done well. I get on with their manager, I think he’s a good guy.

"They’ve got an honesty to them, he’s changed the shape over the season. They were quite defensive early season and now they’ve opened up. Overall they’ve done a really good job."

Centre back James Tarkowski missed the draw with Middlesbrough with a groin problem, but is expected to return to the 18: "Tarky missed out on Tuesday but we said it was minor and we think that’s the case. He's been on the grass so he’ll be back in the thinking."